1■1■To depend on; trust.■■Don't count on weather reports. Most of the time they are wrong.■■There are very few people you can ^count on^ all the time.■■ I■BANK ON■SYNⁿ19ⁿ3■■■I hope you feel that you can always count on me; just as I hope■I can count on you.■²1■2■To search for and find information, as in a reference book or■other source.■You should look up everything you don't know.■■He didn't know the dates of the Civil War, so he ^looked^ them■^up^ in the encyclopedia.■ Fⁿ7ⁿOften used with "it." "Look it up."ⁿ14ⁿ3■■■You can look up idioms with IdioMagic.■■²2■2■To improve; to enjoy better prospects.■■The business was slow last year, but it is looking up now.■■Things started ^looking up^ for me after I got an agent.■■ Iⁿ21ⁿ3■■■Thank you for your concern, but things are looking up for me now.■■²1■1■To attend to; provide for the needs of.■■Robert, take care of your sister when I go shopping.■■The gangster told his hirelings to ^take care of^ the dirty work.■■I■KEEP AN EYE ON■SYN■SEE TO IT■SYNⁿ17ⁿ3■■■My buddy Jim Bob will take care of the room and board when I■visit his farm in Oklahoma.■²1■1■To cause to be off, as by flipping a switch or turning a dial;■make something stop working.■Turn off the light, will you? I want to sleep.■■All she does is talk, talk, talk, all day long. I wish somebody■would ^turn off^ her mouth.■F■TURN ON■ANT■SHUT OFF■SYNⁿ17ⁿ3■■■He turned off the television after the news was finished.■■²1■1■To make a brief or unexpected visit.■■Joe, why don't you drop by my house this evening?■■I ^dropped by^ his office but he wasn't available. He's in and■out all the time. I left the money with his secretary.■ I■DROP IN■SYN■STOP IN■SYN■STOP BY■SYNⁿ15ⁿ3■■■You can drop by if you like, but I may not be home.■■²1■1■To expect with hope or joy; anticipate■■Everyone at the picnic was looking forward to a nice warm day,■but then it snowed.■It's hard to ^look forward to^ next month's report when all the■information we have been gathering is so negative.■ Fⁿ21ⁿ3■■■I'm looking forward to arriving in the United States so I can try■out all my idioms.■²1■1■To prove useful; become convenient to use.■■A wide knowledge of the idioms of a foreign language really comes■in handy when you must talk to a native speaker.■You may think this old sweater is worthless to you now, but■someday it will ^come in handy^.■ Iⁿ21ⁿ4■■■Sam, take this flashlight with you. It may come in handy, you■never know.■²1■1■To delay; postpone.■■The school put off the graduation ceremony until the terrorists■were captured.■It's not a good idea to ^put off^ studying a foreign language■until you actually need to speak it.■I■GET AROUND TO■ANT■MAKE IT SNAPPY■ANTⁿ17ⁿ4■■■He never meets any of his deadlines because he keeps putting■things off. He has no discipline.■²1■1■To decide what to do; choose between alternatives.■■After a lot of indecision, he finally made up his mind to see a■movie with his friends.■I don't know; I can't ^make up my mind^ right now.■■Iⁿ7ⁿUse of this phrase often suggest a period of indecisiveness or■uncertainty, until finally one "makes up" one's mind as if by■brute force. "Make up your mind!" is what we tell people to do■when we are impatient for a decision from them.ⁿ11ⁿ3■■■Nobody running for office can make up his mind about whether he■supports higher taxes or lower spending.■²1■1■To misbehave; act rudely or inconsiderately; to malfunction■(said of a machine).■John, why do you always have to act up when your father and I■take you out to eat?■My car is ^acting up^. I could hardly get it started this■morning. I think something is wrong with the carburetor.■Iⁿ7ⁿNotice that when a human "malfunctions" (gets sick) we don't■say that he "acts up." Only CHOSEN behavior that we disapprove■of is described this way. A machine cannot choose, but when we■are annoyed with it for functioning improperly, we feel that it■is deliberately causing trouble for us. And so we say that the■machine is "acting up"--even though it is really just breaking■down.ⁿ8ⁿ4■■■My typewriter is acting up again. It won't type P's and O's.■■²1■1■To show up at or enter (e.g., a home, a party, a conversation)■without invitation; to intrude abruptly or rudely.■Sorry to barge in while you two are talking, but can you tell■me when the show starts?■When Sally's ex-husband ^barged in^ on her wedding, he caused■quite a commotion. Finally, the bridegroom threw him out.■I■BREAK IN■SYN■CUT IN■SYN■■■When followed by a direct object, the preposition "on" is often■used. Thus, we "barge in on" something or someone. (But we can■also "barge into" them if we like.)■ In its original sense, "barge" is a noun for a long, large,■flat-bottomed kind of boat used to carry freight, and has no■power of its own. If one loses control of a barge, it can wander■clumsily into places it doesn't belong. When that happens it■barges into things--just what you might expect from a barge.ⁿ7ⁿ3■■■I don't like it when people barge in on my private conversation.■■²1■1■To make (a price) a lot higher; raise greatly and suddenly.■■During the blackout, all the stores jacked up their candle■prices.■He tried to ^jack up^ his rates, but his customers didn't think■he was worth it.■ Sⁿ7ⁿA jack is a machine for lifting a car so one can change the tire.■To "jack up" a price is to raise it as if by using a jack.ⁿ13ⁿ4■■■Food prices are rising so high that the restaurants have no■choice but to jack up their prices.■²1■1■To be in firm charge or control; give orders.■■When Lisa chaired a meeting, she really calls the shots.■■Dad likes to ^calls the shots^ in every situation, even at the■family picnic. Nobody is allowed more than 2 hamburgers.■S■CALL THE TUNE■SYNⁿ19ⁿ4■■■Who is calling the shots in this office?■■²1■1■To withdraw or retreat from a confrontation; fail to pursue an■issue or claim, or to carry out a threat or challenge.■Governor Wiley repeatedly called his opponent a liar, but had to■back down when the evidence proved he was wrong.■Most bullies ^back down^ when someone finally stands up to them;■especially someone bigger.■I■BACK OUT■SYN■LOSE ONE'S NERVE■SYN■PLUNGE AHEAD■ANT■If you don't in some sense start a confrontation yourself, you■can't "back down" from it. "Back down" always means retreating■from something to which you have committed yourself. And it■typically involves a confrontation or challenge to someone else.■You would not "back down" from the commitment to get to work on■time; but you might "back down" from demanding a raise.ⁿ9ⁿ4■■■I don't like what I'm hearing but I'm going to back down and let■you have your way.■²1■1■To try to gain someone's favor or good will by flattery or■pleasantness.■He couldn't come right out and ask his boss for a raise; he had■to butter him up first.■It's hard to ^butter up^ a person who's so determined to dislike■you.■I■POLISH THE APPLE■SYN■BURN ONE'S BRIDGES■ANTⁿ17ⁿ4■■■You don't think I'm trying to butter you up, do you? I have■always thought you were wonderful. So can I borrow the money?■²1■1■To carelessly endanger oneself; take avoidable risk.■■If you don't lock up your apartment in a big city like this,■you're just playing with fire.■Trying to beat him in a deal is like but ^playing with fire^,■because he's a nasty and vicious negotiator.■ I■SKATE ON THIN ICE■SYNⁿ5ⁿIf you play with fire, of course, you might get burnt; just as■you might drown by "skating on thin ice."ⁿ13ⁿ4■■■I think you're playing with fire if you walk through that■neighborhood in the middle of the night.■²1■1■To scold or rebuke harshly; reprimand.■■The sergeant chewed out the private for disobeying an order.■■If the boss finds out what you did, you will certainly be ^chewed■out^ for it.■ I■BAWL OUT■SYN■CALL ON THE CARPET■SYNⁿ17ⁿ3■■■If you don't want me to chew you out, then stop behaving so■badly.■²1■1■To dismiss or suspend employees, often for economic reasons.■■The company lost an important and large contract, and so it had■to lay off half its workers.■Jeff was ^laid off^ from his job the other day. Widget sales■have been very low lately.■ Fⁿ7ⁿ"Lay off" is not as negative a term as "fire," although sometimes■it amounts to the same thing. Usually, someone is fired because■his boss is dissatisfied with him, for whatever reason. Being■laid off, however, suggests that he has lost his job as a result■of circumstances that have nothing to do with him personally--■most often, as a result of an economic slump or a restructuring■of the company.ⁿ8ⁿ3■■■People became even more fearful about the economy when General■Motors had to lay off so many people.■²1■1■For each person on a social occasion to pay his or her own■expenses.■She doesn't like other people to pay for her enjoyment, so when■she goes out she always goes Dutch.■I don't even have enough money to ^go Dutch^; she'll have to pay■for me as well as herself.■I■CHARGE TO■ANTⁿ19ⁿ3■■■We both wanted to go Dutch so that neither of us would feel■obligated to the other.■²1■1■To be badly defeated; to die or be killed (especially in combat).■■Our side bit the dust in yesterday's game. The score was 11 to■0.■General Custer did what he could under the circumstances, but at■Little Big Horn he and his army ^bit the dust^.■I■DROP DEAD■SYNⁿ5ⁿThis is the kind of thing you'll hear in movies about the old■American west. "Jack bit the dust at the OK Corral."ⁿ13ⁿ3■■■The bullet hit him in the back, and he bit the dust.■■²1■1■To completely reveal something, especially to someone who was not■supposed to know it.■You can't have an effective spying operation if double agents■keep spilling the beans to the other side.■If I answer that question, I'll be ^spilling the beans^, and my■friends won't appreciate it.■ S■LET THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG■SYN■COVER ONE'S TRACKS■ANT■COVER UP■ANTⁿ15ⁿ3■■■Somebody spilled the beans to the police. We can't stay here■anymore. We've got to find a new place to hide out.■²1■1■To achieve two separate goals or results with one action.■■If you feed the cat you'll kill two birds with one stone. The cat■will be fed--and mother will be happy she doesn't have to do it.■Paying your taxes ^kills two birds with one stone^. It satisfies■the government, and keeps your bank account from getting too big.■ Sⁿ21ⁿ4■■■By getting his friend to go shopping he killed two birds with one■stone; he got the food he needed, and some peace and quiet too.■²1■1■To exert oneself for very long periods of time; work long into■the night.■He worked on his friend's software day and night without any■rest and recreation; he was burning the candle at both ends.■At this point, the only way you can prepare yourself for next■week's examination is by ^burning the candle at both ends^.■I■BURN THE MIDNIGHT OIL■SYNⁿ19ⁿ3■■■I have so much work to do that I'm going to have to burn the■candle at both ends.■²1■1■To complain about something that has already happened and it's■too late to change.■It's useless to cry over spilt milk. Do your best with things■as they are and try not to make the same mistake again.■Jim wasted a lot of time and energy ^crying over spilt milk^. It■made him seem rather undignified, frankly.■S■MAKE ONE'S BED AND LIE IN IT■ANTⁿ5ⁿ"Crying over spilt milk" is usually used to describe crying about■relatively trivial or manageable misfortunes. If someone loses■his home in a fire, or his daughter is killed in a car accident,■it would be cruel to say to him, "Oh, stop crying over spilt■milk; what's done is done." You may also say "cry over spilled■milk."ⁿ9ⁿ4■■■Instead of crying over spilt milk, why don't you do something to■change things?■²1■1■To be eager to spend or get rid of, as is said of money.■■Whenever I get paid, the money just burns a hole in my pocket.■■Jim's car keys are ^burning a hole in my pocket^. I hope he pick■them up soon so that I don't have to worry about them anymore.■ I■TIGHTEN ONE'S BELT■ANTⁿ5ⁿA phrase like "burn a hole in one's pocket" seems to describe a■possession, but actually it describes one's attitude toward that■possession. What "burns" is not the money in one's pocket but■rather one's desire to spend it. The money is regarded AS IF it■were actually burning a hole.ⁿ10ⁿ3■■■This wad of dough is burning a hole in my pocket; let's go■gambling.■²1■1■To meet a challenge directly; take definitive action in the face■of difficulty.■He took the bull by the horns and demanded a raise despite the■unreasonableness of his supervisor.■It's a tough problem but you're just going to have to ^take the■bull by the horns^, or you'll never make progress on it.■ I■TAKE THE BIT IN ONE'S TEETH■SYNⁿ19ⁿ3■■■The only way the President can take the bull by the horns is by■offering a lot of spending cuts.■²1■1■To rely on; have confidence in.■■I'll always be there for you; you can bank on it.■■They've been around for a long time and have never failed anyone,■so you can ^bank on^ them.■I■COUNT ON■SYNⁿ5ⁿBanks have (or used to have) reputations as very solid, honest■and reliable institutions. Hence to say that you can "bank on"■something implies that you can have the kind of trust in it that■you would have in a bank where you keep your money.ⁿ11ⁿ3■■■This machine will never break down, you can bank on it.■■²1■1■To end or conclude an activity; quit.■■After studying idioms for two hours, we decided to pack it in.■■When not only the government but the people themselves turned■against their goals, the revolutionaries decided to ^pack it in^.■I■CALL IT A DAY■SYN■CLOSE UP SHOP■SYNⁿ17ⁿ3■■■We've done more than enough for one day; what do you say we■pack it in, okay?■²1■1■To suddenly fall asleep; pass out from exhaustion, or drugs or■alcohol.■After staying up all night to study for the exam, he zonked out■just as the alarm went off.■I'm getting so bored that I'm afraid I'll ^zonk out^ before I■have a chance to leave.■ S■CATCH ONE'S Z'S■SYN■SLEEP LIKE A LOG■SYN■■■Nobody knows the origin of the word "zonk." Perhaps the man who■invented it was zonked out.ⁿ13ⁿ3■■■If I don't drink some coffee, I'm going to zonk out.■■²ⁿ34ⁿ²
